Earthquake hits Los Angeles area

LOS ANGELES-

An earthquake was felt in the Los Angeles area on Thursday morning.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported a preliminary magnitude 4.7 earthquake centered four miles (seven kilometers) north of Malibu. The quake occurred about seven miles (11 kilometers) below the surface, the USGS said.

The quake was felt as far as 45 miles (72 kilometers) away in Orange County, where some residents reported their light fixtures swinging and other objects in their homes moving.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the city fire department was investigating. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

The California governor’s emergency office said it was actively monitoring the quake and checking for damage. The area has had a number of quakes this year. A 4.4-magnitude quake in August was felt from Los Angeles to San Diego, shaking buildings, rattling dishes and setting off car alarms.

Rene Vasquez, manager of The Country Kitchen restaurant in Malibu, said the shaking lasted a few seconds and kitchen staff went outside as a precaution, but there was no damage.

“It wasn’t that bad,” Vasquez said. “Thank God nothing fell.”

People took to social media to say they were woken up by the shock Wednesday morning, including several celebrities who posted on X.

Paris Hilton wrote on X: “That #earthquake was terrifying,” while Khloe Kardashian added: “Gosh that was intense.”

The quake struck as the region grappled with three major wildfires raging east of Los Angeles, burning dozens of homes and forcing thousands to evacuate. The fires erupted amid a severe heat wave that has just ended.